Education Policy With Milton Sipp

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1) So, how would you describe the current state of the U.S. Education system?​​

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• Main Points:

  • The system varies widely in quality and needs significant improvement overall.

  • Some areas offer very strong education, but disparities are significant.

  • Education does not get the attention or priority it deserves as a foundation for society.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “It needs a lot of work. I think there are places where it's really strong, where I think young people are receiving a very strong education. The state is one where there is a good amount of disparity, where certainly some areas are stronger than others. So it's a system that needs a lot of work, it's a system that doesn't get, not even close to, the attention that it deserves. Education is the foundation for everyone, and so that should be a priority.” 

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2) Do you think that there is a difference in the quality of learning between private and public education? Does it shift depending on geographic location?

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​Main Points:

• Differences exist; education is not uniform across all private or public schools.

• Private schools have more flexibility in hiring and curriculum design.

• Public schools face more restrictions and standardized curricula.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “Yes, I think there's definitely a difference between private and public education. And I want to preface that by saying not all private or independent education is great. And not all public education is great, and vice versa. The difference is that for a private education, there are fewer restrictions or fewer hoops that you have to jump through.”

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• • “Another example of that is just the ability to be able to develop a curriculum that is based on, let's say, a teacher's passion, or having the flexibility to read different kinds of literature, not being beholden to a set of public standards where you have to teach a curriculum. You have to teach it the same way. There's very little room for a deviation from that script.”

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3) How do you think funding impacts the quality of education across different states and districts?

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• Main Points:

  • Funding directly affects resources and program offerings.

  • Funding disparities can be stark, with some states spending much more per student.

  • Better-funded districts can provide richer programs, including arts and travel.

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• Key Quote:

  •  “The funding part of it is a big deal. So, in New York City, for example, I believe it's the state that pays, and I think it's about $12,000 per student. And that $12,000 is all-encompassing. It has to cover lots of different things.… The state of Wyoming has put an enormous amount of research into putting its money where its mouth is…but she said yesterday that they spend $40,000 per student.”

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4) What are some of the biggest disparities in education between urban vs rural, racial, economic, and community divides?

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• Main Points:

  • Huge disparities can exist even within minutes of geographic proximity.

  • Funding often drives these disparities as local taxes support education.

  • Students in poorer communities often receive an inequitable education.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “ You can go from one community to the next. Let's… let's use our backyard as an example. So, here in the Bronx, for example, you could have a school that's in Hunts Point and the, again, sort of the funding or the resources aren't there as much as they are if you just drive 5 or 10 minutes north into Westchester, where those counties are doing really, really well. Their public school system in Westchester is really strong.”

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• • “Every student should be getting that, whether you're in public or private school. You should be able to have access to all of those things and get the best education. But there's no question that there's a disparity depending on which neighborhood or which community you're in.”

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5) What role should the federal government play in education reform, especially regarding equity?

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• Main Points:

  • The federal government should be a strong actor using its funding power to prioritize education.

  • Ensuring all students get top-notch education regardless of background requires federal involvement.

  • The nation currently falls short in prioritizing education despite the importance of its youth.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “ I think that the federal government, until we sort of get it right, I think they should play a huge role in it. I think that because they have the ability, our lawmakers can use that money when they're working on their budget, and the spending that goes towards education should be a priority.”​

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• • “We're going to make sure that every student, no matter what neighborhood they are in, no matter where they live, no matter what their background is, that it's going to be top-notch.”

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6) What policies or reforms would you like to see to improve the U.S. education system?

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• Main Points:

  • Set clear standards for schools, ensuring robust programs in arts, athletics, and academics.

  • Hold schools accountable for meeting these standards.

  • Address lost opportunities in the arts and many other areas due to funding cuts or neglect.

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• Key Quotes:

  • Every school should have a robust arts program. There are schools that are very close to us here in Riverdale and in the Bronx that've lost their funding and don't have the opportunity for kids to pursue playing an instrument, or being in a musical, or having the ability to compose music.

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• • I think that would really go a long way to setting the, here's the standard, and here's how we're going to do it, and here are the resources that we're going to pour into it, and also hold schools, hold places accountable, and make sure that schools are doing what they're supposed to do.

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7) How is technology, especially AI, shaping the future of education?

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• Main Points:

  • Technology and AI are powerful tools with transformative potential.

  • The challenge is guiding students to use these tools correctly, rather than relying on them blindly.

  • Embracing and using AI responsibly can greatly enhance education.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “Technology is playing a really huge role, and a pivotal role, too… and I think the challenge is trying to get students and adults to use this powerful instrument, but use it in the right way.”

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• • “So I'd rather take the mindset of embracing it, learning from it, and using the power of it, but using it in the right way”.

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8) How well do schools prepare students for higher education, the workforce, and life?

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• Main Points:

  • Academically, schools generally prepare students well.

  • Social and emotional intelligence, kindness, and civic responsibility need more focus.

  • Schools should help students connect with humanity and be empathetic citizens.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “In terms of the foundation of courses, being good writers, being analytical writers, and being able to solve problems. Having that foundation. For the most part, the overwhelming majority of students will say.”

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• • “I wonder if we're preparing students for basic things, like... You want kids to be good citizens...if you don't have that social and emotional intelligence, then you're going to be the ones who are going to go out and commit all these heinous things that we see happening here, because you're not seeing the person next to you as your fellow citizen, or as a fellow human being.”

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9) How should schools better integrate current events and help students connect historical dots?

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• Main Points:

  • Current events should be connected clearly to history and context for better understanding.

  • Encouraging students to “connect the dots” helps make real-world topics relevant.

  • Adults also need to improve at connecting the context for a clearer understanding.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “All the stuff that's happening around us directly relates to history… Taking the time to say, let's talk about a current event, and then connecting it so that it makes it relevant for students.”

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• • “There are so many pathways there, and we need to do a better job of connecting the dots for students.”

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10) What are some challenges facing schools today, especially regarding social media?

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• Main Points:

  • Social media creates new challenges with misinformation, bullying, and distractions.

  • Students struggle to discern credible information and need critical thinking skills.

  • The school system has yet to find effective ways to address the social media challenge.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “Social media… that's one of the things that sort of keeps me up at night. I think that it's a challenge to…there's a whole other world that's out there, and it's a whole other world where I think, currently, a lot of our students are getting their information.” 

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• • “I want you to influence yourself. And I want you to have the ability to ask questions and not believe everything that you see to be really critical thinkers.”

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11) What are some strengths of New York’s education system that others could learn from?

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• Main Points:

  • Community engagement and grassroots activism are strong in NYC.

  • Parents participate actively in local boards and referendums, shaping education.

  • New York maintains a decent balance between public and private education.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “There is a lot of attention paid to the educational system. You know, I think it, you know, it's how to do it more effectively that is always the challenge, but I do think it's been a big part of it if you've watched or seen the debates, the question about the educational system and reform and public schools, and how to make them better. At least that's the conversation behind it.” 

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• • “The local grassroots active engagement is something that can be mirrored in other parts of the country.”

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12) How have recent education policies in New York affected students and teachers?

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• Main Points:

  • New York has expanded recognition of cultural and historical diversity through new holidays like Juneteenth.​

  • New York City’s phone ban / “Distraction-Free Schools” policy aims to reduce distractions and improve presence and relationships in school.​

  • The “Respect for All” anti-bullying policy is important, but must be paired with real education about why harassment is harmful, not just rules against it.

 

• Key Quotes:

  • “I think there's been an increase… You mentioned some of the holidays and having those off… Juneteenth is one today, and even though independent schools are out, public schools are off for that today; I think that's been a good thing, the increase in the celebrations of various cultures, and I think that's been a positive, a positive move.”​

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• • “You mentioned our ban on cell phones here; that is something that New York City public schools did… It’s K–12 now, and there is a ban on phones… that’s been implemented in all of the schools now, and I think those are good things.”​

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• • “I think New York City also has an important new policy… called Respect for All, and what they're trying to do with that is to really send a statement about harassment and bullying, which we know is a really big issue in schools.”​

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13) How can young people get involved in education reform and support access?

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• Main Points:

  • Youth should actively educate themselves, attend community meetings, and get involved in campaigns.

  • Being informed and critically engaged is crucial.

  • Hands-on involvement and commitment to causes can inspire others.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “I think the way to get involved is to get involved,  you know, either you're working on a local campaign or you yourself, will go and attend some community board meetings, or you yourself will say, what are some things that are important to me as a 13, 14, 15-year-old and what are my politicians, what are my leaders doing? To effect change towards that. Just the ability to be involved, to have a sense of knowing what is happening.”

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• • “Lean into it, like, just…and don't necessarily rely on, or wait upon your school, or your teachers to give you that education, like, you get out there, and the fact that you're out there yourself. “

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Transcript

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Lauren: So, how would you describe the current state of the U.S. Education system?

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Mr Sipp: Okay, I think that the current state of the U.S. Education system needs a lot of work. I think there are places where it's really strong, where I think young people are receiving a very strong education. However, in the current state, I would like to think that… if we're thinking more, globally, United States-wise. The state is one where there is a good amount of disparity, where certainly some areas are stronger than others.

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So it's a system that needs a lot of work, it's a system that doesn't get, not even close to the attention that it deserves because it is…I think education is the foundation for everyone and so that should be a priority. When it comes to the United States, we should have the strongest educational system.

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​Lauren: Yes, and so adding on to what you were saying, do you think that there is a difference in the quality of learning between private and public education? Obviously, here at Riverdale, we have a very high education, but there could be other places and other schools where it might not be as high, and do you think that answer shifts depending on the geographic location, and in the United States?

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Mr. Sipp: Yes, I think there's definitely a difference between private and public education. And I want to preface that by saying not all private or independent education is great. And not all public education is great, and vice versa. Not all of it is great, and not all public… There are a lot of great public schools as well. But I do think the difference, the main difference, is that, let's set aside the, sort of, the educational strength of the program. The difference is that for a private education, there are fewer restrictions or fewer hoops that you have to jump through.

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For example, if you see a young teacher who's coming, a potential teacher who's coming right out of college. And that person is strong; you can hire them. In public school, you may see the same strength in that candidate, but there are just a few more hoops that they have to jump through in terms of teacher certification, and all those programs are strong, but there are more restrictions. I guess that's probably what I'd say as a major difference.

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Another example of that is just the ability to be able to develop a curriculum that is based on, let's say, a teacher's passion, or having the flexibility to read different kinds of literature, not being beholden to a set of public standards where you have to teach a curriculum. You have to teach it the same way. There's very little room for a deviation from that script.

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Whereas in a private or independent education, you have all sorts of flexibility to be able to have a curriculum, you have faculty members who, as you know, even if we were talking about Riverdale, where you're able to develop many courses, you're able to develop courses that are outside of the norm. When it comes to the standard courses that are here. So, the ability to be able to have that flexibility and independence. Without the restrictions that are placed on you is huge. And the last example, I would say, would be for students.

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If we're looking at New York City, for example, and again, this is not an indictment of the system, it's just that there are a few more hoops that you have to jump through. There are the Regents exams. The Regents exams are good, they're strong, I think there are assessments that can be something that can be used to one's advantage. 

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However, if you're in an independent school, you're not taking regions; you're taking assessments that teachers or departments have developed, which will say, This is the standard, and once you've passed that standard, then you either move up a grade or you move on to the next level of courses. But it's the restrictions and being able to be of an independent nature in mind that just gives you a lot more flexibility to be able to build and design a program. I think that may be more tailored to where students are in their sort of educational journey.

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Lauren: Kind of adding on to that, how do you think funding impacts the quality of education? Obviously, public schools are funded by the state. Do you think that creates a different quality of education in different states and different districts?

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Mr. Sipp: Yeah, yeah, it definitely does, and the funding part of it is a big deal. So, you sort of base it on… I would look at it in terms of that funding amounting to resources, right? So, in New York City, for example, I believe it's the state that pays, and I think it's about $12,000 per student. And that $12,000 is all-encompassing. It has to cover lots of different things. 

Whereas if you were… I was actually having this conversation with my youngest daughter's classmate in college, and she's from Wyoming, and went to a public school, and we were talking about just her experience, and her public school sounds very much like a private school. It sounds very much like Riverdale. And the reason for that is that the state of Wyoming has put an enormous amount of research into putting its money where its mouth is. She thinks, and I… don't quote me on this, but she said yesterday that they spend $40,000 per student.

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With that disparity, the programs that she described can have programs where kids are traveling or having a full arts program. That allows you to do that. So the funding is really… It's critical because what it amounts to is how many resources a school has or doesn't have.

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Lauren: Right. And adding on to that, what do you think are some of the biggest disparities in education between different communities in terms of urban vs rural, racial, economic, and other divides?

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Mr. Sipp: Yeah, that's where your original question, just about the state of education, I think that's probably one of the biggest disparities. You can go from one community to the next. Let's… let's use our backyard as an example. So, here in the Bronx, for example, you could have a school that's in Hunts Point and the, again, sort of the funding or the resources aren't there as much as they are if you just drive 5 or 10 minutes north into Westchester, where those counties are doing really, really well. Their public school system in Westchester is really strong.

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A lot of that does have to do, again, with your previous question about funding. You know, if the local folks get an opportunity to vote on referendums, they can… their taxes are high, a lot of that money does go towards education. But there are huge disparities across the United States. And if you are in a different neighborhood, it can be, again, as close as 5 or 10 minutes.

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You're getting a very different education, and one that is not equitable at all, and that's the… the thing that makes me feel for students who aren't getting… every student should be getting that, whether you're in public or private school. You should be able to have access to all of those things and get the best education. But there's no question that there's a disparity depending on which neighborhood or which community you're in.

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Lauren: Yeah, and my next question's more in terms of public schools, but what role do you think the federal government should play in education reform? Obviously, there are public schools that are very well off, but there are many schools that are not, and so what role do you think the federal government should be actively playing in that?

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Mr. Sipp: I think that the federal government, until we sort of get it right, I think they should play a huge role in it. I think that because they have the ability, our lawmakers can use that money when they're working on their budget, and the spending that goes towards education should be a priority.

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It should be a priority that, starting with the basic premise that we're going to make sure that every student, no matter what neighborhood they are in, no matter where they live, no matter what their background is, that it's going to be top-notch. And it will…it's going to require money to do that, and the federal government can do that. It's a matter of part… in my mind, it's a matter of priorities.

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It's what you prioritize as a nation. And I don't think that we prioritize education as much as we should, particularly when students and young folks are our future. And so we should be preparing them as best we can to compete, not only domestically, but globally as well. And that means putting resources and having the federal government use some of the muscle that it currently is not using.

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Lauren: This is sort of just adding on to the last question, but what policies or reforms would you like to see improved in the education system in the U.S?

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Mr. Sipp:  Yeah, I would like to see, sort of, maybe you equate it to standard. So, if you say. Every school has to have X, Y, and Z, and then make sure that those schools have that. Every school should have a robust arts program. There are schools that are very close to us here in Riverdale and in the Bronx that've lost their funding and don't have the opportunity for kids to pursue playing an instrument, or being in a musical, or having the ability to compose music. So that, if you were looking at each department, and saying, every school should have the ability to be able to have these resources for the strongest math curriculum, science, English, history, but across the board in the arts.

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Athletics, I think that would really go a long way to setting the, here's the standard, and here's how we're going to do it, and here are the resources that we're going to pour into it. So I would like to see a system or someone come up with a system that addresses that. And then, the next step would be to hold schools, hold places accountable, and make sure that schools are doing what they're supposed to do.

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It breaks my heart that there are… I mean, we know that there are just schools that either don't have… they don't have the resources, or they're just not being held accountable to a higher standard. So I think this is kind of where the federal government really could play a role.

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Lauren: Yeah, I absolutely agree. My next question is really big at the time now, but… how do you think technology is shaping the future of education in the U.S, and what role do you think AI is playing specifically?

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Mr Sipp: Technology is playing a really huge role, and a pivotal role, too. I think the challenge for schools, public and private, is to use… It's a powerful instrument. I mean, you talked about AI. AI is a powerful instrument. We use… I use it all the time, every day, you know, from Siri to Alexa, to it's so powerful. And I think the challenge is trying to get students and adults to use this powerful instrument, but use it in the right way. Use it where it's not… completely taking over your thoughts, or taking over, allowing you to have shortcuts.

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Sure, we all Google things, right? I'm gonna Google to find out what the latest trends are, what is happening in Greek education. I say that because I'm invested in the education system there and working with schools there. But I can Google that and say, here's the list. That's great, that's a proper use of it.

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The next step for me, then, is if I want to get more information, you know, pursue that by reading, or pursue it by traveling, or if I'm writing something about it, I'm using my own words based on the information that is given to me, but it's ultimately my work. I guess what I'm saying in a long-winded way is that I don't think the approach should be you shouldn't do this, this AI is bad.

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Don't do it because we're all… that just makes people go towards it more, right? It's like, hmm… Everyone wants me to, you know, it's like a child when you tell them, don't touch that stove that's hot, and you're gonna touch it, right? So it has the power to change lives and be transformative, and I'd like to think… I'm optimistic about that.

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I think it's all in education and how we approach it, how we handle it, how we use it, and how adults model it for students. We're sort of at the precipice, I think, of seeing what could be incredibly transformative in education when it comes to technology, and in particular, AI. It's not going anywhere.

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So I'd rather take the mindset of embracing it, learning from it, and using the power of it. But, using it in the right way. I think that's the thing for me. We all know, for most things, there's sort of a right way and a wrong way, and you have those roads where you can have that opportunity to decide which road you're going to take.

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But I want to embrace it. I want it to help continue to transform our lives and add to research, and make lives better for people. I think that's the approach that we should be taking, but definitely a huge role it's going to play.

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Lauren: Yeah, I definitely agree with you, and I think it's interesting, because, obviously, at Riverdale, you're not gonna have AI or ChatGPT write your essay for you, but even in my math and science classes, both of my teachers gave us, I don't know what kind of AI it was, but something that was aligned with exactly what we were learning, and you could ask questions to it on exactly the topics that that AI knew. And I was like, this is incredible, instead of… obviously, you can ask your teachers questions, you can study your notes, but if you have another question and they don't want you to go on ChatGPT or go on another AI system, it was perfect. It was exactly what had made it.

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Mr. Sipp: Exactly, yep. Big, exactly. Yeah, that was really good. Um, so this is kind of something that even I think about, because I know, like, sometimes you're like, oh, when am I gonna use, I don't know, if, like, if I'm not going into science, when am I gonna use biology, or something like that.

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​Lauren: How well do you think schools are preparing students for the workforce, higher education, and life in general? Not necessarily on specific topics, like algebra, but just in general.

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Mr. Sipp: I think that schools are doing a good job when it comes to I mean, I think, for example, when… I think when kids leave Riverdale, and I look at my own kids and their friends, and just… students that I've known all over these decades that I've been here.

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In terms of the foundation of courses, being good writers, being analytical writers, and being able to solve problems. Having that foundation. For the most part, the overwhelming majority of students will say. They were very prepared at Riverdale, or… and I think in schools in general, that you're prepared. The thing, though, that I wonder if we're preparing students for basic things, like, are you… You want kids to be good citizens. 

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You want them to be not only domestic citizens who are invested in change who can hear two sides of an argument and embrace both, although you may not agree with one side or the other. Kindness, like how we treat each other. And, I say that because I don't think that we're doing a really good job, if you look at not only the United States, but just around the world. We're not doing a good job of connecting ourselves to each other, to humanity, and it's the basic things, like you can be the most intelligent and well-prepared academic student when you leave a public or private school.

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But if you don't have that social and emotional intelligence, then you're going to be the ones who are going to go out and commit all these heinous things that we see happening here, because you're not seeing the person next to you as your fellow citizen, or as a fellow human being. So I think the preparation on the academic side is good. I think we really need to focus on, and you can have both. Both things can be true.

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You can have well-prepared students, and they can write the best essays. And then you can also have the students who are going to make sure that people are being kind, and they're taking care of each other, and that when you're… when you're seeing these things that are happening around the world,  I was saying this in my talk with the 8th grade at their graduation, and saying that you know instead of the first thing that you… If something happens, so I equated it to October 7th, right? So there were these terrorist attacks. Really heinous attacks that happened. People were murdered. I mean, I would just call it what it was.

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So you have this situation. So, when it was being expressed, and particularly by people who were really feeling that sometimes it was quick to say, well, the other side did this, or well, this happened here. The first question, what I'd love us all to get to, the first question should be, are you okay? Are you good? Are you? You've been impacted, and so… we all should have seen those attacks as an attack against all of us, not just the Jewish community.

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Lauren: Right

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Mr. Sipp: Not just when it's happening to other groups. It should be what's happening to all of us. So, if we can… just hit the pause button, take our own ideologies out of it and just say, are you okay? And then, how can I help you? What can I do? What do you need from me? It just… takes the temperature down. And then you're able to sort of… there's the humanity towards each other that you're showing, and then you're going to problem solve, and you're going to hear things differently.

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​You're going to be able to have the ability to listen. So. I think that's what I'd love schools to… spend a little bit more time on. And how do you model it, and how do you show students what's good discourse?

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​We're not there yet. We're working on it, but we're not there yet. And it's really important now, I think, just the state of the world makes me very nervous that it's… we're just… we're a divided nation, we're a divided world. You know, we're quick to commit crimes against humanity towards each other, because we don't see each other as fellow citizens, so… sorry for the long-winded answer, but I think that's what schools need to be doing more. Public, private, all schools should be spending a significant amount of time on just the basic acts of kindness towards each other.

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Lauren: Yeah. I think that you make an amazing point, and even, like, I totally agree with the, obviously, we're academically ready for the world, but in terms of our values, I think that's something that everyone could work on. Something else that's kind of off-topic, but, like, even just with current events, I know, like, in seventh grade. I was in Mr. Sclaffani’s class, we did current events, quizzes, and all of those types of things, but I feel like even now,, I know what's happening, but I'm not one to watch the news every night, and so… sometimes I feel like, obviously in history class, we're learning a lot, but I don't think… I personally feel behind in some of the current events that are happening now, and even the other day.

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I was at my synagogue, and there was this man, Richard Haas, and he was talking about Iran and Israel, and I maybe understood, like, 60% of what he was saying; this also may just be me not reading enough… I don't know, because it's hard, obviously, to teach current events in school, with political differences and… different ideas, but I was thinking, I'm like, oh my gosh, I want to understand what he's saying, but he's… saying it to a crowd that he thinks understands all of the background, and I'm like, oh no, I wish I could understand what he's saying, but I couldn't fully understand

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Mr Sipp: Yeah, and your point is a good one, too, because there… if you… shine the spotlight back on schools in that regard. To what I want it to.There… all the things that are… so I… as you know, I teach the 7th grade. I love teaching it. And we still do current events. I have two students in an 8-day rotation. They are, like, reporters of the day, and they bring in current events, and then you have to… It's like a 48-hour news cycle. But all the stuff that's happening around us directly relates to history. That we're trying to, you know, impart to all of you.

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So, what it means is, like. Taking the time to say, let's talk about a current event, and then connecting it so that it makes it relevant for students. And then, like you said, Lauren, for yourself. When you're sitting and hearing something like that, you're like, oh yeah, there's I understand that connection, because what's happening here is connected to here. That's the part, I guess, going back to your previous question, the other thing that I would add to that, what schools could do better to prepare kids, is how to connect the dots.

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How does this connect to that? As opposed to it being in a silo. Like, okay, this is happening over there, but wow, we just studied this in history, or we just read this book, and there's this chapter that relates directly to what's happening between Ukraine and Russia. There are so many pathways there, and we need to do a better job of connecting the dots for students.

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But also for ourselves, the adults need to do it as well, because it's… the thing that you experience, I'm sure many adults experience, as well. It's like, wait a minute, I'm listening to this, I kind of understand it, but that's where I think we can do a better job of helping you, so when you're in that situation, you understand it better.

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Lauren: Yeah, and I had Dr. Karmen this year for history, and even… obviously, I feel like some topics in history, it's hard to connect the dots, like, when we're talking about ancient times, and… just like that, what do you… How can you sort of connect that to now? But this year, and obviously next year in CA, I think there's so much opportunity to connect the dots, as you were saying. So, I'm glad that you mentioned that. Dr. Karmen, at the end of the year, when we were done with our assessments, she brought up, the ICE rallies, and other topics similar to that, and that related a lot to what we were learning about, even ideas in the Cold War, or Nazis, she found ways to connect the dots, and that was helpful to me, because I maybe… I knew what was going on, but not enough.

And so that was very helpful, so what do you think are some of the biggest challenges facing schools today, maybe in New York versus other cities?

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​Mr. Sipp: Yeah, I think some of the major challenges I think surround social media… I mean, social media, again, it's… that's one of the things that sort of keeps me up at night. I think that it's a challenge to…there's a whole other world that's out there, and it's a whole other world where I think, currently, a lot of our students are getting their information. A lot of them are. It's the thing that I get nervous when I hear people saying, Oh, like, I'm…following this person who is an influencer, right? And I want to say, like, that's great to be able to do that, but I want you to influence yourself. ​And I want you to have the ability to ask questions and not believe everything that you see.

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To be really critical thinkers, and that, to me, I think, is a big challenge, because we're trying to do one thing here at school, and then there's a whole other world that's out there when students are in school, and when they leave school, that's one that I think we haven't figured out. That's a beast that we're battling and I think that's the thing that…when I say it keeps me up at night, it's when I hear of things we deal with at school of bullying and social media posts and… kids getting caught into chat rooms and it's all frightening stuff, and it's just, you know, the curiosity to want to sort of go out there and experience and see what's there, but it's a frightening world out there, and I just… I don't think we figured out how to battle that beast yet. But that's the one, I think.

​Social media and trying to rein our students back in to at least be able to hit a pause button somewhere, the first time you hear something is to say, hmm, okay. And then, like, let me do a little bit more research. Look at a few other articles and may compare before, especially if it's something that is going to influence you in the way that you're willing to dig your heels in the sand over it. It's like, when I tell folks all the time, like, there are lots of protests that happen, right? The biggest question is for a student to be able to ask themselves and answer. Why are you protesting? What is it about? And not to just say oh, because… this side, they'd like to really understand, to be able to, like, understand that critically.

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I'm protesting because these rights have been… these specific rights have been taken away from me, from my friends. Be able to answer it in a critical way that's just not, oh, I… this is something that I heard, and I believe, you know, I heard… it sort of drives me a little nuts, for adults, too, when they say, well, I heard that. Yeah, where? Where's your source? Have a pause button and say. Question everything. I say that even to my students and 7th grade. I'm like, question me. If I say something, you're like, Mr. Sipp, hang on, can we have this conversation? And you can do it respectfully.Can you just help me understand what you just said? I'm not sure that I agree, but I want to understand it more. Just ask those questions, as opposed to just accepting something for face value.

​Lauren: Yeah, I think that's such a good point, and I don't remember his name, but we had a speaker come in for our assembly, and he was talking about like, biases, or news reporters who are doing something for their own popularity versus…

Mr. Sipp: David Weston, yes, that was such a good point about how news reporters sometimes do something to bill themselves instead of having the surrounding people learn from it

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Lauren: It's so important because even on TikTok, obviously, I find it entertaining, but I'm like, what are they saying? I have learned to kind of not take my news from TikTok, but not everyone does that, and not everyone sees the difference. Like, even with the elections right now for mayor, I'm like, all these influencers are promoting a certain person, and I know, one's mentioning the idea that he's anti-semetic, or other things too, and I'm like obviously, I can tell the difference, but it's so dangerous for people who are… like, it's so much easier to watch a 15-second TikTok than read through the news, but… so, not accurate, so…

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​Mr. Sipp: Yeah. It's a great point, and TikTok is a great example because it's just a… It's a quick hit, but it hits enough where you're like, oh, maybe that's… that's gotta be true, or that's gotta be the… yeah, you're absolutely right. So…

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Lauren: I'm like, this is… it seems so great what this person is saying, or it seems so accurate, but I know it's not, or even, they get you to buy stuff, which is so different, obviously. You spend your money, you're gonna lose it… It's just a waste of money, but for ideas and believing someone, it's… It's so tricky, because I'm like, it seems like I should know more about this, or sometimes it does make me research it, because I'm like, this does not seem accurate, but I think it's such a dangerous trick for people who cannot differentiate real from fake, or bias from unbiased.

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Mr. Sipp: Yeah, so true.

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​Lauren: Yeah. What do you think are some strengths of New York's education system that other states could learn from?

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​Mr. Sipp: I think New York has, like I said t's been a pretty good balance. Again, I don't think that all the private schools that are not so great, and public schools, but I think that, let's see, how do I want to say this? I think that New York does well, and probably better than some other places. There is a pretty good focus. I think, you know, there can certainly be more. But I do think there is a lot of attention paid to the educational system. I think it, you know, it's how to do it more effectively that is always the challenge, but I do think it's been a big part of it if you've watched or seen the debates, the question about the educational system and reform and public schools, and how to make them better.

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At least that's the conversation behind it. And I also think that there are community boards. The community boards work really well here. For example, there's Community Board 8, which is here in Riverdale, in the area of the school that serves public schools. There are lots of good local grassroots organizations that also pay attention to education, so they're not necessarily leaving it in the hands of the government to come in and make fixes. They are sounding the bullhorn for their local community. So I think the local grassroots active engagement is something that can be mirrored in other parts of the country.

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​Because then you're showing that the community itself is invested in education and all great movements, in my humble opinion, have started from just grassroots people who are local, or got people involved and motivated. So I think New York does a good job of that, and they're really… parents are active on these community boards. If you go to some of these community board meetings, they can be a hot mess. I mean, people debating, they are standing up and arguing about what's going on, but I embrace that passion.

Because you're showing you're engaged, versus just sitting off to the side, and then there are these referendums. There are always these referendums that have to do with education that are sometimes… can be hidden on ballots, and if you don't know about those, you don't know what you're voting for. You could be voting for something that is taking a lot of funding or resources from your community.

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​So, I would say the community activism that happens in New York City is indicative of New Yorkers themselves. New Yorkers are not quiet, so, yeah, they're in there fighting for what they want, and I think that can be something that can be an example for the country.

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Lauren: Yeah definitely, I feel like that's also something that we learn about in my history class, or even for my term paper, I did, the Cuban Revolution I was talking about gender relations and how they shifted after the Cuban Revolution, but it was all about these women grassroots organizations, and how that helped fulfill the larger goal of the women also even right now, I'm working for Vanessa Aronson, who's running for city council in my district. And it's so interesting too, like… I mean, I phone bank, which is so boring, but, like, I do it because, like, you know, it's very helpful for her, but we do street canvassing also, and it's interesting to see how much people know. I mean, obviously, I can't even vote yet, but it's interesting to see how much other people know about the elections, and how much they care, or if they're just voting for someone, because someone tells them to vote for someone, and, like, on the phone, even some people will say, oh yeah, I'll vote for her because she's a Democrat. I'm like, no, six people are Democrats, if you don't feel like you should vote for her, don't vote for her, search… I try to explain her opinions and her ideas, but no one… like, obviously, I sometimes don't stop on the street if someone tries to give me a pamphlet, but it's the fact that I really think people need to do more research and understand more of what's going on, and want to vote for even… like, she's very into education, obviously, so are a lot of the other people, but I think people need to kind of dig deeper into the roots of people's ideas and what they're going for.​

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Mr. Sipp: Yeah. I love that you said that. I mean, it would have been very easy for you to say, Great. Thank you. We have your vote. But the fact that there's a pause button, Lauren, that I was talking about. Your ability to say, well, wait, like, I do believe in this candidate, but, you know, you should make sure, be an informed citizen. It's like, that's a gift right there. I mean, that's awesome.

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Lauren: Yes yeah, thank you. My next question is: How have recent education policies in New York affected students and teachers? Not necessarily the specific ones, but, you know, even for us. By banning phones, or hiring more teachers in lower class sizes, increasing the budget, implementing health measures, adding in holidays and diversity, and even creating dyslexia schools.

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Mr. Sipp: Mm-hmm. Yeah,  I think there's been an increase. You mentioned some of the holidays and having those off. So, a wide range, you know, Juneteenth one today, I think just… and even though you know, independent schools are out, public schools are off for that today. I think that's been a good thing, the increase in the celebrations of various cultures, and I think that's been a positive, a positive move. You mentioned our ban on cell phones here. That is something that New York City public schools did. That's a recent policy, I think it's called Distraction Free Schools. where they have… It's K-12 now, and there is a ban on phones from, we call it, you know, 8:25 to 3.30. Public schools use a bell system.

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So, first bell to the last bell. That's been implemented in all of the schools now. Pretty big deal, and I think significant for students and for adults as well. I think those are… I think those are good things, I think you… there's still the use of students are still using laptops, but I think what it does is takes away that distraction in a way that I would hope allows people to focus more on being focused more on their friendships, focused more on being present in those conversations, and in their classes. So I think that's been a good thing.

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And I think New York City also has an important new policy, I think it's something called, respect for all. And what they're trying to do with that is to really send a statement about harassment and bullying, which we know is a really big issue in schools, so much so that it certainly has an impact on the social fiber. Sometimes, unfortunately, you've seen situations where young people have even taken their own lives because of bullying. So, I think that's a pretty big one, a big statement to say that it's not going to be tolerated. But I would hope that in addition to that policy, Respect for All, there's also time spent on education.

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It's not enough to just say don't do it, don't… You know, we're not gonna tolerate bullying. But why are we not tolerating? It's sort of the why in helping, because I think that's the most important thing, if you can get students to understand the why.

​Then they can embrace it more. They may not agree with it, again, and I know there were students at Riverdale. My kids, who are all graduated, as you know from here, they were like, what? What are you guys doing? You ban phones? So it's not that you're always going to agree with it, but you can understand it. You can say, okay, I…I see the argument; I don't necessarily agree with it, but I see the argument. Same thing here. I'd like there to be just the education around that respect for all. I hope they're doing that in the public school system. It's a good policy, um, but I think it just has to do that part to you.

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Lauren: Yeah, definitely, and I think even in terms of, like, broader politics, the idea of what you're saying about how you don't have to agree with something to understand it, and I think that's something that many of us can learn from. Even me, I'm like, if I hear something that's not mine, I'm like, oh, how can they believe that? But I should say, it's possible that someone believes something else, but I don't have to, like, we can agree to disagree.

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Even with the phone policy at first, I was like, Oh my gosh, what am I supposed to do if I'm at class early and no one's there, and I'm just standing there by myself, or what if I don't know what's next on my schedule? But you learn from these things. You talk to someone new, you… Figure out your schedule. There are so many ways around things that I always anticipate the worst before something happens, but I also feel like I have to learn, you know.

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I just have one more question, and that is: How do you think young people can get involved in education reform, take greater advantage of the education system, or support other students' access to education? So yes, just how can the youth get involved, as we were talking about?

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Mr. Sipp: Yeah, well, I'm gonna use you as an example. Because I think the way to get involved is to get involved,  you know, either you're working on a local campaign or you yourself, will go and attend some community board meetings, or you yourself will say, what are some things that are important to me as a 13, 14, 15-year-old and what are my politicians, what are my leaders doing? To effect change towards that.

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Just the ability to be involved, to have a sense of knowing what is happening. The mayoral race in New York is a great example of that. You can educate yourself by watching those debates. If there's a question and it's put to them, and you all have to answer that same question, and you're responding to each other. So I would say lean into it, like, just…and don't necessarily rely on, or wait upon your school, or your teachers to give you that education, like, you get out there, and the fact that you're out there yourself. I love that… probably my favorite part of this conversation was.​

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Hearing how you're out canvassing, and how you're on the phone talking to people, and you've committed yourself to a candidate, and you've committed yourself to the candidate because you know about that candidate, and you know what she is standing for.

I have this slogan. You may have heard this, like, in middle school, but it's like. You don't have to wait in line. When you're young, you don't… In fact, get in the front of the line, and the way to do that is to do exactly what you're doing. Become involved, be in the know. Ask your own questions, you know? Hit that pause button and be able to, like. Wait a minute, like, what's really happening here? So this is inspiring. I'm inspired by what you're doing.